Before the Sun's rays reach the Earth's surface, they have to overcome the atmosphere, which is composed of various greenhouse gases. As the Sun's rays pass through the atmosphere, a certain part of the radiation intensity is lost.
The dominant greenhouse gas is water vapor. On each greenhouse gas molecule, the Sun's rays lose a certain amount of energy. Part of the energy is absorbed, part is scattered and reflected.
The logical consequence of this is that if there are fewer molecules of any origin in the path of the Sun's rays, the upper layers of the atmosphere should be colder and the lower layers warmer, because less energy remains in the upper layers of the atmosphere and more of the Sun's energy penetrates the troposphere.
It should follow that increasing the greenhouse gas CO2 should prevent the warming of the troposphere. This is not the case. This is confirmed by the fact that the temperatures of the planet Earth are increasing year by year. Things are happening on the surface of the Earth that we close our eyes to and do not want to see. We stubbornly refuse to discuss it.
Climate change: no reprieve from heat this decade as globally agreed 1.5°C limit looms
In fact, less water evaporates from the dried-up continents. According to estimates, based on research in Slovakia, more than 760 cubic kilometers of water from the continents will disappear from small water cycles every year. This will contribute to the annual rise in ocean levels by 2.1 mm.
Since water vapor in the atmosphere is also a greenhouse gas, the annual increase in CO2 concentration is not even close to compensating for the decrease in greenhouse gases H2O.
These are decreasing from the atmosphere at least 15 times faster.
I know that the problem of climate change is more complex, but that is precisely why it needs to be discussed loudly and openly in order to reveal the objective truth.
Climate change is no longer a distant threat—it’s a reality reshaping South Africa’s landscape. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events like droughts and floods are disrupting agriculture, water resources, and rural livelihoods. A 2024 report by the South African Weather Service noted a 1.5°C temperature increase since 1960, with severe impacts on crop yields and livestock. For farmers, this means adapting to shifting seasons and investing in resilient practices like regenerative grazing, as seen in Meat Naturally Africa’s work across 420,000 hectares.Yet, understanding climate change goes beyond science—it’s about action. Misconceptions persist: some view it as a natural cycle or overhype, ignoring data linking human activity to greenhouse gas emissions. The solution lies in collective responsibility—farmers adopting sustainable methods, policymakers enforcing green regulations, and communities embracing conservation. Initiatives like SACO Shipping’s vegetable gardens and tree-planting efforts show that small, practical steps matter. Climate change is complex, but ignoring it is costlier. Let’s learn, adapt, and act—our future depends on it.
